1546: STC (2nd ed.) 848 XML

Anne Askew
John Bale
Debapriya Basu
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annotation
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University of Amsterdam
European Commission Erasmus Mundus Action 2 EMINTE Programme
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University of AmsterdamAmsterdam, Netherlands
Published under a Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0 License.
2015
by
AnneAskew â€˜Imprented at Marpurg in the lande of Hessenâ€™ (False Imprint)
Wesel Dirikvan derStratenTheodoricus Plateanus 1546
edited with preface and commentary by
John Bale. This is a transcription of the copy in the British Library as digitised in EEBO http://eebo.chadwyck.com/home. The Short Title Catalogue number for this edition is STC (2nd edition)848.
AnneAskew
Oxford Oxford University Press 1996
ElaineBeilin
The first examinacy-
on of Anne Aſkew, latelye mar
tyred in Smythfelde, by the Ro-
myſsh popes vpholders, with
the Elucydacyon of
Johan Bale.
Woodcut of a female figure, right hand holding a Bible, left hand a flail, standing upon a serpent with a tiara of the Roman papacy on its headAnne Aſkewe ſtode faſt by thys veryte of
God to the ende.
Fauore is diſceytfull/and bewtye is a vay
ne thynge. But a woman that feareth the
lorde/is worthye to be prayſed. She ope-
neth her mouthe to wyſdome/ and in her lan
guage is the lawe of grace.
Prouerb. xxxj.
Pſalme 116.
The veryte of the lorde endureth for euer.

2
Johan Bale to the

Christen readers.AMonge other moſt ſyn
gular offyces (dylygent
reader) whych the lorde
hath appoynted to be
done in the erneſt sprete
of Helyas, by the forerõ
ners of hys lattre aperaunce, thys is one
verye ſpecyall to be noted. They ſhall
turne the hartes of their auncyẽt elders
into the chyldrẽ. Mala. 4. And the vnbe
leuers of their tyme, to the wyſdome of
those ryghtouſe fathers, as ded Johan
Baptyſt afore hys first cõmynge, Luce 1.
That is (sayth Bedas ca. 68. de temp- Bedes prophecy
orum ratione) the faythe and feruent zele
of the prophetes and Apostles ſhall they
plant in their hartes, whych ſhall in tho
ſe dayes lyue and be amonge men conuer
ſaunt, & than wyll breake fourth (sayth
he as a verye true prophete) ſoche horry-
ble persecucyon, as wyll firſt of all take
from the worlde, thoſe myghtye helia-
ſes by tryumphaunt martyrdome, to the
terryfyenge of other in the ſame fayth,
✠ ij
of
The Preface of her
of whom ſome ſhall becom through that 2 ſortes.
occaſyon, most gloryouſe martyrs vnto
Chriſt alſo, & ſome verye wycked Apoſta
taes forſakynge hys lyuelye doctryne. For
by the ſeyd Bedas testymonye in the be-
gynnynge of the ſame chaptre, two moſt
certayne ſygnes ſhall we thã haue that
the lattre iudgement daye is at hande.
The returne of Iſraels remnaunt vnto
their lorde God, and the horryble perſe-2 ſygnes.
cucyon of Antichriſt.Conferre with thys treated ſcripture
and former prophecye of that vertuouſe
man Bedas, the worldes alteracyon
now, with the terryble turmoylynges of
our tyme. And as in a moſt clere myr-
rour, ye ſhall wele perceyue them at thys
preſent, to be in moſt quyck workynge. Iſraely-tes.
And as concernynge the Iſraelytes or
Jewes, I haue both ſeane and know-
ne of them in Germanye, moſt faith-
full Chriſten beleuers. Neyther is it
in the prophecye (Osee 3.) that they
ſhuld at that daye be all conuerted,
no more than they were at Johan Bap-
tyſtes preachynge, Luce 1.. For as Eſaye reporteth, though the poſteryte of Ja-
cob be as the ſee ſande (innumerable)
yet
firſt examynacyon.
3
yet ſhall but a remnaunt of them con-
uert than vnto their lorde God. Esaie
10. And though the Lorde hath ſyfted
that howſe of Iſrael (as brouſed corne
in a ſyffe) amonge all other nacyons,
Amos 9. Yet ſhall not that remnaunt of
theirs peryſh, but at that daye be ſa-
ued, through the onlye eleccyon of preachers
grace, Romano. 11. Now concernyn-
ge the afore ſeyd forerõners, in thys moſt
wonderfull change of the worlde before
the lattre ende therof. I thynke within
thys realme of Englande, besydes o- Tyndale.
ther nacyons abroade, the ſprete of He- Barnes.
lyas was not all a slepe in good Wyl-
lyam Tyndale, Robert Barnes, & ſoche
other more, whome Antichriſtes vyo-
lence hath ſent hens in fyre to heauen,
as Helyas went afore in the fyerye cha-
rett,4. Regum 2.Theſe turned the hartes of the fa-
thers into the chyldren, ſoche tyme as
they toke from a great nombre of our
nacyon, by their godlye preachynges
and writynges, the corrupted beleue of
the pope & hys maſtrye workers (whych
were no fathers, but cruell robbers & de
ſtroyers, Joã. 10.) reducynge thẽ agayn
✠ iij
to the
The Preface of her
to the true faythe of Abraham and Pe-
ter, Gene. 15. and Math. 16. The pure
beleue in Chriſtes birthe and paſſyon,
whych Adam and Noe ſucked out of the The fa-thers.
firſt promes of God, Jacob and Moſes out of the ſeconde, Dauid and the pro-
Phetes out of the thirde, and ſo fourth
the Apoſtles and fathers out of the other
ſcriptures, ſo firmelye planted they in
the conſciences of manye, that no cruell
kynde of deathe coulde auerte thẽ from
it. As we have for example their conſta-
unt dyſcyples, and now ſtronge witneſ-
ſes of Jeſus Christ, Johan Laſſels and Martyrs
Anne Aſkewe, with their other. ij. com
panyons, verye gloryouſe martyrs afore
God, what though they be not ſo afore
the wronge iudgynge eyes of the worlde
whom the bloudye remnaunt of Anti-
chriſt put vnto most cruell deathe in
Smythfelde at London, in the yeare of
our lorde,M.D.XLVI. in Julye.If they be onlye (as was Johan Bap-
tyſt) great afore the lorde by the holye
ſcriptures allowaunce, whych are ſtron-
gelye adourned with the graces of hys
ſprete, as faythe, force, vnderſtandynge,
wyſdome, pacyence, loue, longe ſufferaun
ce and
firſt examynacyon.
4
ce and ſoche lyke. I dare boldelye affer-
me theſe 4. myghtye witneſſes alſo to be
the ſame, ſo well as the martyrs of the
prymatyue or Apoſtles churche. For ſo Chriſtenmartyrs.
ſtrongelye had theſe thoſe vertues as
they, and ſo boldelye objected their bo-
dyes to the deathe for the undefyled
Chriſten beleue, agaynſt the malygnañt
Synagoge of Sathan, as euer ded they,
for no tyrannye admyttynge anye create
or corruptyble ſubſtaunce for their eter-Bread.
nall lyuynge god. If their blynde babyes
to proue them vnlyke, do object agaynſt
me, the myracles ſhewed at their dea-
thes more than at theſe, as that vn-
faythfull generacyon is euer deſyerouſe
of wonders Math. 12. I wolde but kno-
we of thẽ, what myracles were ſhewed
whan Johan Baptyſtes head was cut of
in the preſon? Marci 6. and whan Ja-myracles
mes the Apoſtle was byheaded at Hie-
ruſalem? Acto. 12. Theſe 2. were excel-
lent afore God, what though they were
but myſerable wretches, lyght fellawes,
ſedycyouſe heretykes, buſye knaues, and
lowſye beggers in the ſyght of noble kyng
Herode and hys honorable counſell ofrochettes
prelates. For had not rochettes and ſyde
✠ iiij
gownes
The Preface of her
gownes bene at hande, haplye they had
not ſo lyghtlye dyed.If they allege Steuen, to maynteyne
their purpoſe, that he at hys deathe be-
Steuen.helde heauen open. I aſke of thẽ agayne
what they were whych ſe it more than
hys owne perſone? Sure I am that their
wycked predeceſſours there present, ſe
it not. For they ſtopped their eares,
whan he tolde them therof, Actorum 7.
Legẽdes.If they yet brynge fourth the other hy-
ſtoryes of Apoſtles and martyrs. I anſ-
were them, that all they are of no ſoche
autoryte, as theſe here afore. The popes
martyrs in dede, were moche fuller of
myracles than ever were Chriſtes, as
hysſelfe tolde vs they ſhulde be ſo, Ma-
thei 24. Yet wrought fryre Foreſt, Jo-
Foreſte.han Fiſher and Thomas More no myra-
Fyſher.cles, what though manye be now rege
More.ſtred in their lyues and legendes by the
fryres of Fraunce, ltalye, and Spayne.
Beſydes that Johan Cochleus hath
written of them, ad Paulum Põtificem,
ad regem Henricum, and alſo in their
defence agaynſt doctor Sampſon. With
that Erasmus ded also ad HuttenumThis probably refers to Erasmus’ letter to Huttenum ‘Epistola CCCCXLVII.Eraſmus Roterod. Vlrico Huteno S.D.’. P.
Writers.M. ad Gasparem AgrippamUnidentified, Albertus
Pighius,
firſt examynacyon.
5
Pighius, Rivius, Fichardus, and a great
ſort more. And as for the holye mayde of
kent with Doctor Bockynge, though they
wrought great wonders by their lyfe,
yet apered non at their deathes. Of hys
owne choſen martyrs, Chriſt loketh forChriſtenmartyrs,
non other myracle, but that onlye they
perſeuer faythfull to the ende, Math.
10. And never denye hys veryte afore
men. Luce 12. For that worthye vyctorye
of the ſynnefull worlde, ſtandeth in the
inuyncybleneſſe of faythe, and not in my
racles and wonders, as thoſe waueryn-
ge wittes ſuppoſe, 1. Joan. 5.
Ryght wonderfullye wyll thys apere
in the ij. myghtye conflyctes here afterAnne Aſ-kewe.
folowynge, whych the faythfull ſerua-
unt of Jeſu Anne Aſkewe, a gentylwo-
man verye yonge, dayntye, and ten-
der, had with that outragynge Syna-
goge, in her ij. examynacyons, about
the xxv. yeare of her age, whom ſhe
ſent abroade by her owne hande wri-
tynge. The handelynges of her other
iij. companyons, ſhall be ſhewed in
other ſeverall treatyſes at layſer. ForGoddespower.
the glorye and great power of the
✠ v
lorde,
The Preface of her
lorde, ſo manyfeſtlye aperynge in hys e-
lect veſſels, maye not now peryſh at all
handes, & be vnthankefullye neglected
but be ſpred the worlde ouer, as wele in
Latyne as Englyſh, to the perpetuall in
famye of ſo wyllfullye cruell and ſpyght
full tyrauntes. Nothynge at all ſhall it
terryfye vs, nor yet in anye poynt lett vs
of our purpoſe, that our bokes are now in
Englande condempned and brent, by
Bokes cõdempned.the Byſhoppes and preſtes with their
frantyck affynyte, the great Antichriſtes
vpholders, whych seke by all practyſes
poſſyble to turne ouer the kynges moſt no
ble and godlye enterpryſe. But it wyll
from hens forth occaſyon vs, to ſet
Latyne.fourth in the Latyne alſo, that afore we
wrote onlye in the Englyſh, and ſo make
their ſpirytuall wyckedneſſe and trea-
ſon knowne moche farther of. What
auayled it Joakim to burne Hieremyes prophecye by the vngracyouſe counſell
of hys prelates? Hiere. 36. Eyther yet An
tiochus to set fyre on the other ſcriptu-
res?1. Macha. 1.Good wyllbe know-ne.After the Apoſtles were brought afo
re the counſell and ſtrayghtlye cõmaun-
ded to ceaſe from preachynge, they prea-
ched
firſt examynacyon.
6
ched moche more than afore. Acto. 4. In
moſt terryble perſecucyons of the pryma
tyue churche, were the examynacyons &
anſwers, tormentes and deathes of the
conſtaunt martyrs written, and ſent a
broade all the whole worlde ouer, as
teſtyfyeth Euſebius Ceſarienſis in hys
eccleſyaſtyck hyſtorye. Their coppyes ha-
bounde yet euerye where. Great ſlaugh
ter & burnynge hath bene here in Eng-
lande for Johan wycleues bokes, euer Johanwycleuesbokes.
ſens the yeare of our lorde. M. CCC.
LXXXII. Yet haue not one of them
throughlye peryſhed. I haue at thys
houre the tytles of a C. and XLIIII.
of them, whych are manye more in nom-
bre. For ſome of them vndre one tytle com
prehendeth ij. bokes, ſome iii. some iiii.
Yea, one of them contayneth xij. I thyn-
ke not the contrarye, but ere the worlde
be at a full ende, God wyll ſo gloryfyeCanonyſe
that twentye tymes condempned here-
tyke, execrated, curſed, ſpytted, and ſpat
led at, that all your popyſh writers befo-
re hys tyme and after, wyll be reckened
but vyle ſwyneheardes to hym, for the
good fauer he bare to Chriſtes holye
Gospell. A verye madneſſe is it to ſtryue
agaynſt The Preface of her
agaynſt God, whan he wyll have the lon
ge hydden inyquytees knowne. As the
godlye wyſe man Gamaliel ſayd, Acto.
gamaliel 5. lf thys enterpryſe that is now taken
agaynſt yow, be of God, ye ſhall neuer be
able with all your tyrannouſe practyſes
to dyſſolue it.Now concernynge that bleſſed wo-
Anne Aſkewe.man Anne Aſkewe, whych latelye ſuffe-
red the tyrannye of thys worlde for ryght
wiſneſſe sake. In Lyncolne ſhyre was
ſhe borne of a verye auncyent and no-
ble ſtocke, Sir Wyllyam Aſkewe a wor-
thye knyght beynge her father. But no
worthyneſſe in the flesh, neyther yet a-
nye worldlye nobleneſſe anaylethauayleth to god
warde, afore whome is no acceptacyon
of perſone, Actorum 10. Onlye is it fay-
True nobylyte.the with hys true loue and feare, whych
maketh vs the accept, noble and wor-
thye chyldren vnto God, Joan. 1. Wher-
of by hys gyft, ſhe had wonderfull ha-
bundaunce. Soch a won was ſhe, as
Lydia.was Lydia the purple ſellar, whose har
te the Lorde opened by the godlye prea
chynge of Paule at Thyatira, Acto. 16.
For dylygent hede gaue ſhe to hys wor
de whan it was ones taught without ſu
perſtycyon
firſt examynacyon.
7
perſtycyon, &wolde no lõgar be a falſe
worſhypper or ydolatour after the wyc-
ked ſcole of Antichriſt. But became frõ
thensfourth a true worſhypper, worſhyp
pyng her Lorde God (whych is a ſprete &
not breade) in ſprete & in veryte, accor-
dynge to that worde of hys, Joan. 4. The
Goſpell of Chriſt bare ſhe in her harte,
as ded the holye mayde Cecilia, & neuer
after ceaſed frõ the ſtodye therof, nor frõ
godlye cõmunycacyon & prayer, tyll ſhe
was clerlye by moſt cruell tormentes, ta
ken from thys wretched worlde.By her do I here (dere fryndes in the
lorde) as ded the faythfull Bretherne in
Fraunce, at the eyries of Lyons and Vi-
enna by a lyke faythfull yonge wo-
man called Blandina. Whych was Blandina
there put to deathe with. iij. myghtye
companyons more amonge other (as thys
was) for her Chriſtẽ beleue, about
the yeare of our lorde, C. and LXX. in
the prymatyue ſprynge of their Chri-
ſtyanyte. They wrote vnto their Bre-
therne in the landes of Asia and Phrygia verye farre of, her myghtye ſtronge ſuffe
rynges for Chriſtes fayth, whych they kne
we nothynge of afore. I write here vnto
yow in
The Preface of her
yow in Englande the double proceſſe of thys
noble woman, wherof ye are not ignora-
unt, for ſo moche as it was there ſo ma-
AnneAſkewe.nyfeſtlye done amonge yow. Coupled I
haue theſe ij. examples togyther, bycau
ſe I fynde them in ſo manye poyntes a-
gree. Blandina was yonge and tender.
So was Anne Aſkewe alſo. But that
whych was frayle of nature in thẽ both,
Chriſt made moſt ſtronge by hys grace.
Blandina had iij. erneſt companyons in
Compa-nyons.Chriſt, Maturus, Sanctes, and Atta-
lus, ſo feruentlye faythfull as her ſelfe.
So had Anne Aſkewe iij. fyrefyne fellawes,
a gentylman called Johan Lassels her
inſtructour, a preſte, and a tayler called
Johan Adlam, men in Chriſtes veryte
vnto the ende moſt cõſtaunt. With Blã
Recãtersdina were in preſon, to the nombre of x.
whych renyeddenyed the truthe and were cle-
relye forſaken of God for it. How manye
fell frõ Chriſt beſydes CromeEdward Crome (d. 1562), clergyman and religious controversialist. Although known for his political savvy in negotiating the dangerous waters of the reformist movement, in 1547 he attacked the doctrine of transubstantiation in sermons delivered at St Mary Aldermary and at the Mercer’s chapel, St Thomas Acon, preaching that the mass was a commemoration of Christs’ death. He was accused of heresy like Askew, seemed to submit but was urged not to by fellow reformers like Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Shaxton. He appeared at Paul’s Cross on 27 June to deliver an ambiguous apology. Askew, who had attended his sermons, was burned on 16 July. See Susan Wabuda, â€˜Crome, Edward (d. 1562)â€™, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/6749, accessed 22 Jan 2015]. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/6749 and Shax
ton, whan Anne Aſkewe ſtode faſt by
hym, I am vncerteyne. But I counſeil
them, as ſaynt Johan counſelled the
TryedGolde.Laodycyanes, in the myſerable eſtate
they are now in, to bye them thronghthrough
tryed golde of Chriſt, leaſt they peryſh
all firſt examynacyon.
8
all togyther, Apoca. 3. If they had not
ſtyll remayned in that chauncell, who-
me Chriſt commaunded Johan in no
wyſe to meaſure, Apoca. 11. They hadThe cha-uncell.
neuer ſo ſhamefullye blaſphemed, lyke
as Bedas alſo toucheth in hys former
prophecye.Prompt was Blandina, and of moſt
luſtye corage, in renderynge her lyfe for
the lyberte of her faythe. No leſſe lyueCorage
lye and quyck was Anne Aſkewe in all
her enpryſonynges and tormẽntes. Great
was the loue, Blandina had to Chriſt.
No leſſe was the loue of Anne Aſkewe.Racked
Blandina never faynted in torment. No
more ded Anne Aſkewe in ſprete, whan
ſhe was ſo terrybly racked of Wryſleye
the chaunceller and Ryche, that the ſtryn
ges of her armes and eyes were peryſhed.
Blandina deryded the cruelte of the ty-
rauntes. So ded Anne Aſkewe the mad
neſſe of the Byſhoppes and their ſpeche
men. Reade burnynge plates of yron and
of braſſe had Blandina put to her ſydes. Burned.
So had Anne Aſkewe the flamynge brã
des of fyre. Full of God and hys veryte
was Blandina. So was Anne Aſkewe to the verye ende. Chriſt wonderfullye
tryumphed
The Preface of her
tryumphed in Blandina. So ded he in
Anne Aſkewe, whan ſhe made no noyſe
on the racke, and ſo erneſtlye afterwar-
de rejoyced in hym. Blandina was ge-
uen fourth to wylde beaſtes to be deuou-
Beaſtes.red. So was Anne Aſkewe to cruel Bys
hoppes & prestes, whom Chriſt calleth
rauenynge wolues, deuourers, and the-
ves. Math. 7. and Joan. 10. Blandina vpon the ſcaffolde boldelye reprehen-
ded the pagane preſtes of their errour.
So ded Anne Aſkewe whan ſhe was
faſt tyed to the ſtake, with ſtomack rebu-
ke that blaſphemouſe apoſtata Shaxtõ with the Byshoppes and preſtes genera
Shaxtõ.cyon, for their manyfeſt mayntenaunce
of ydolatrye.Blandina at the ſtake shewed a vyſa-
ge vnterryfyed. So ded Anne Aſkewe a
countenaunce ſtowte, myghtye and er-
neſt. Infatygable was the ſprete of Blan
dina. So was the ſprete of Anne Aſ
kewe. The loue of Jesus Chriſt, the gyft
Graces.of the holye Ghoſt, and hope of the crow
ne of martyrdome, greatlye mytygated
the payne in Blandina. So ded these iij.
worthye graces, the terrour of all tor-
mentes in Anne Aſkewe. The ſtronge
ſprete
firſt examynacyon.
9
ſprete of Chriſt gaue stomack to Blandi
na, both to laugh and daunce. The same
myghtye sprete (& not the popes deſpera
te ſprete) made Anne Aſkewe both to reSprete.
ioyce and ſynge in the preſon. So bolde
was Blandina (sayth Eusebius) that
with a preſumpcyõ of ſtomack ſhe cõmo
ued’To move in mind or feeling, stir to emotion, rouse to passion; to excite.’OED. with Chriſt vnseane. I ſuppoſe Anne
Aſkewes lattre examynacyõ, wyll ſhewe
her, nor to do moche leſe. Gentyll was Hygh ſtomacke.
Blãdina to the Chriſtẽ beleuers, & terry
ble to their aduerſaryes. So was Anne
Aſkewe verye lowlye to true teachers,
but ſcornefull and hygh ſtomaked to the
enemyes of truthe. Manye were conuer-
ted by the ſufferaunce of Blandina. A
farre greatter nombre by the burnynge
of Anne Aſkewe. Though Blandina weMother
re yonge, yet was ſhe called the mother
of martyrs. Manye men haue ſuppoſed
Anne Aſkewe. for her Chriſten conſtan-
cye to be no leſſe. Blandina prayed for
her perſecuters. So ded Anne Aſkewe moſt feruentlye. The aſhes of Blandina and of other martyrs, were throwne in-
to the flood of Rhodanus. What was
done with the Aſhes of Anne Aſkewe &
her companyons, I can not yet tell.
٭
All The Preface of her
All theſe former reportes of Blandi-
na and manye more beſydes, hath Euſe-
bius in Ecclesiastica historia, libro 5.
Autorscap. 1. 2. & 3. Hugo Floriacensis, Her-
mannus Contractus, Vincentius, Anto-
ninus, Petrus Equilinus, and other hy-
ſtoryanes more. And as touchynge Anne
Aſkewe, these ij. examynacyons, with
her other knowne handelynges in En-
glande, are wytneſſes for her ſuffycyent.
Not alldead.Thus hath not the fyre taken Anne Aſ-
kewe all whole from the worlde, but left
her here vnto it more pure, perfyght, &
precyouſe than afore, as it wyll alſo Jo-
han Lassels within ſhort ſpace. So that
concernynge her, it maye wele be ſayd,
that Paule verefyeth, 2. Cor. 12. The
ſtrength of God is here made perfyght
Weake-neſſe.by weakeneſſe. Whan ſhe ſemed moſt fe-
ble, than was ſhe moſt stronge. And glad-
lye ſhe reioyced in that weakeneſſe, that
Chriſtes power myght ſtrongelye dwell
in her. Thus choseth the lorde, the folyſh
of thys worlde to confounde the wyſe, &
the weake to deface the myghtye. Yea,
thynges deſpyſed & thought verye vyle,
to brynge thynges vnto nought whych
the worlde hath in moſt hyght reputa-
cyon. firſt examynacyon.
9
cyõ. I thynke yf thys martyr were ryght
lye conferred, with thoſe canonyſed mar
tyrs, whych haue had, and yet hath styll,
ſenſynges and ſyngynges, maſſynges &Martyrs
ryngynges ĩ the popes Englyſh churche,
cauſe with cauſe and reaſon with rea-
ſon (as haplye here after they ſhall) ſhe
ſhuld be a great blemyſh vnto them. An
example of ſtronge ſufferaunce myght
thys holye martyr be, vnto all them thatExample
the lorde ſhall after lyke maner put fo-
rewarde in thys horryble furye of An
tichriſt, to the glorye of hys per-
ſecuted churche. Amen.